


World's Finest series

by kerithwyn



Series: World's Finest [1]
Category: DCU (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: Early Work, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-09-09
Updated: 1999-09-09
Packaged: 2018-01-09 08:13:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1143637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kerithwyn/pseuds/kerithwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A very early Robin/Superboy series of fics, written from 1999 to 2001.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Getting to Know You

**Author's Note:**

> Timing: Set just after *Worlds' Finest 3,* the first modern Robin-Superboy team-up, in which our intrepid young heroes faced off against Metallo and Poison Ivy. Post-Clench, pre-Cataclysm, pre-Young Justice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted 9/9/1999.

 

  
I just couldn't stop thinking about it, you know? How Ivy put me under her spell, and how Robin risked his life to snap me out of it. Not to mention how he almost got taken apart by Metallo on the way. There was a bad pattern shaping up, about me and lady criminals, and I didn't like it.

It took another couple of days--yeah, I'm slow sometimes--to realize that I wasn't really thinking about her, or the whole sitch, but about *him.* Robin, I mean. The "Boy Wonder"--what a nickname to be saddled with! Except after seeing him in action, it really fit. Here I am, next best thing to Superman, and this guy with no powers totally saved my butt.

So I really just wanted to say "thanks" again, but on the whole flight over to Gotham I knew there was something else. Like how we worked really well together, when I finally shut up and listened to him. Like how good he looked in that costume of his. That surprised me but hey! I'm flexible. Figure I can't help it, considering where I came from. The boys at Cadmus Labs used Superman as a base model when they put me together, but a lot of other stuff went into the tank as well. No room for prejudice in this little clone.

So I cruised around Gotham, lookin' for Rob. I sure didn't want to run into that boss of his--I ain't ashamed to admit the big bad Batman scares even me. Heck, I hear even Superman takes his orders from Batman, up on the Justice League watchtower.

Must've been my lucky night, 'cause I spotted him right away. Robin, I mean. He was crouched on the roof of an old building near the docks, holding a pair of binoculars. I took a quick look around but didn't see anything, so I figured he wasn't really busy. I landed behind him, trying to take him by surprise.

Sheyeah,  _right_.

*********************

This wasn't my night.

I'd been trying to get a lead on some of Penguin's shadier dealings--he'd been pretty quiet for months, but Batman and I knew he was working to set himself up as  _the_  crime boss of Gotham. The thug I was following decided that he'd rather pass out drunk in a dockside tavern than run Oswald's errands, I guess, so it was back to square one and scratch this goon off the list.

I saw the red blur in the sky and heard the "thump" of a flier landing behind me, and it wasn't hard to figure out who it was. Part of the training: know who your enemies are, and your allies too, because you never know when the latter might become the former.

A little paranoid for my taste, but Batman's the best, and being Robin was an opportunity I wasn't about to give up. So I'd learned, and I said,

"Little far away from your usual stomping grounds, isn't it, Superboy?"

I heard the muttered, "oh, man!" and smiled. Keep them off balance, that's what Batman always says. I turned around to see him looking unusually diffident, kicking at the rooftop and scattering shingles everywhere.

"Hey, Bird-Boy, how ya doin'?"

Okay, no crisis. "Were you just bored, or was there something you needed in Gotham?"

"Naw, I just..." he stopped kicking the roof and came over. "I've been thinking a lot about all that stuff that happened on Kauai, and I just wanted to say 'thanks' again, I guess."

Strange. Superboy didn't seem the type that spent a lot of time thinking about the past--he seemed more a "live in the moment" kinda guy. But whatever.

"Sure. No problem." If he just wanted to shoot the breeze, he was out of luck. Batman doesn't like other heroes hanging around Gotham; it's  _his_  turf, and they all know it. I think he believes in the "if you live there, they will come" theory: Super-villains gravitate to the homes of their chosen enemies. Metropolis regularly gets hammered by Superman-level threats, because Superman's there to deal with them. Gotham has  _enough_  trouble with our regular Arkham escapees without inviting others in to play. The whole Metallo thing had been a fluke, and I'd had no choice but to call Superboy in to deal with the nuclear-powered cyborg.

On the other hand, I was probably going to be working with him in the future--heroes of the same generation, that kind of thing--so it was worth my time to be friendly. God, that sounded like Bruce! He looks at  _everything_  as a threat or an opportunity, nothing in between. What I really meant was, I could see working with Superboy again, and if we were friends that would make it easier.

"So, uh, what's new?" Lame, Tim, very lame. I put on this costume and my social skills seem to disappear.

"Aw, you know. The usual. Take down a bad guy, get the gratitude, bodacious babes throw themselves at my feet...."

*********************

Babbling. I was babbling. I couldn't help it. He was so calm, like nothing ever phased him, and I was trying to work up my nerve to tell him what I was  _really_  there for. It started to seem like a really stupid idea, now that I was there with him in person.

But damn, he looked good.

Something I said struck him funny, anyway. "You get a lot of that? Uh, 'babes'?"

"Yeah. But you see one tanned Hawaiian chick, you've seen 'em all." BIG lie. And Tana would kill me if she ever heard me say that, never mind Roxy. But the idea of shootin' the breeze with  _Robin_  about women seemed weirder than weird, and it sure wasn't what I wanted to be doing anyway.

"Just Do It" oughtta be my motto. To heck with it--either he was gonna like it or he wasn't, and I wouldn't find out just by standing around.

So I took a deep breath, said "So, well, this is for everything you did, helping me and all," and kissed him.

Not the world's finest kiss or anything, I was too nervous to concentrate and he was too surprised to do anything. But he didn't shove me away, and I took that for a good sign. After a second I backed off, and waited for his reaction.

He was looking at me, kinda stunned by his expression, and suddenly I felt like I'd made a  _huge_ mistake. I couldn't really tell because of the mask that hides his eyes, but I was afraid that he was mad, or maybe he was thinking about telling someone that Superboy had groped him, and I'd be kicked out of the hero biz. Or I dunno, something like that.

"Oh, man, Rob, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, I'm an idiot and I'm gonna leave now and we can just forget this whole thing, all right? C'mon, man, say something!"

"Uh..."

Damn. "Look, just forget it, I'm sorry, will you at least say it's okay?"

"It's...okay."

Not mad. He wasn't mad. He hadn't moved away. He was still looking at me.

Thin evidence, but now I had a mission. A real goal. I was gonna get a reaction out of him yet.

I know I push. I can't help it. Maybe it's something they stirred into my genetic soup at Cadmus, or maybe it's just me. Hey, if you're gonna go for it, you might as well go all the way.

*********************

He was eyeing me with this sly, smirky expression. "So...just how 'okay' was it?"

I was trying to figure that out myself. I'd never even  _thought_  about it, but I was still reeling with the shock that it'd been okay. More than okay. Nice.

My thoughts went something like this: "Okay, Tim, you are  _not_  going to have a sexual identity crisis on the rooftop of this cruddy old warehouse. You will  _not_  freak out like some raving homophobe. You will stand here and deal with this like a reasonable person, because that's what you are. A reasonable person. Who actually kinda liked that kiss, and what are you going to do about that?"

Batman always says that self-knowledge is our most powerful weapon. Knowing what you can and can't do. How far you're willing to go. How far you can push.

I wasn't about to let Superboy push  _me_. "Just...okay." His face fell, and I felt like I'd just kicked a puppy. I hated seeing that look on him, so... "I don't have enough basis for comparison, after all."

*********************

Hot diggidy damn. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I wasn't about to lose this chance.

"So, uh, you need more data, right?"

He looked as serious as ever, but I could tell. Oh, yeah, he was into it. "Well, I can't form a proper opinion with such a small sample...."

Whooo. I knew an invitation when I heard one. I leaned over again and this time his mouth opened under mine and wow! that Boy Wonder could kiss. Before I knew it  _he_  was in charge, and I kinda liked it. I felt his arm slip around my waist and then he pulled me against him. I was so surprised, I stumbled and almost knocked him over.

"You okay there, Superboy?"

"Yeah! You just surprised me, that's all."

He smiled, a little smug. "Batman always says, do the unexpected--it keeps people off balance."

Unexpected, huh? I could do that. I grabbed him around the waist and took off, straight up into the sky. After a second he threw his arms out wide and laughed, really laughed, and I totally got off on hearing that sound. He seems so *serious* all the time--guess working with Batman, it's kind of a requirement of the job.

*********************

I love being Robin. It's the dream of a lifetime. Even if I someday quit doing this and go back to a normal life, I'll have had something more unique and exceptional than most people ever experience.

But this...

There's a moment when you're diving off the side of a building that's almost like flying. It's the most freeing and terrifying moment in the world. But then the line catches and you swing out over the street, pulled by the swing of gravity, and the illusion shatters.

There was no illusion here, only Superboy's hands on my waist and the pull of Earth, slowly losing her grasp.

He'll never know how much I envy him this, the gift of true flight.

He wove a lazy path over the city, and his hands started to wander. I still felt perfectly safe. He talks a lot about that famed "tactile telekinesis" of his--probably too much in the Batman view of the universe, since Rule Number One involves never letting your enemies (or allies) know your full range of abilities. But whatever he touches is subject to his telekinetic control, which meant that I wasn't going to fall unless he decided to drop me.

But still...I wasn't the only one who might be out tonight. God only knows what would happen if Bruce caught wind of this.

"Uh, Superboy?"

"Yeah?" He looked at me, eyes bright under the stars.

Decision time, Tim. Go with it--go with  _him_ \--or call it quits right here.

I didn't know what was going to happen, or what he expected, or even what I was willing to do. Better to find out now, right?

Right. There's rationalization boy for you, never mind the fact that I was replaying that kiss over and over in my head and it got better every time.

I took a deep breath, and said, "I know somewhere a little more private...."

*********************

I gotta admit, I almost dropped him when he said that.

I mean, I'd been sneaking a grope in midair and all, but I guess I really didn't expect him to practically _admit_  he was up for more. Too cool.

He motioned toward Gotham Bay and I flew out over the water. On the way he pointed out Blackgate Prison and started telling me about its history, blah blah blah. I shoulda listened, I know, but I was  _way_ too distracted by the way his muscles flexed under my hands.

Maybe I think too much about sex; I dunno. I woke up out of the tank a teenager, y'know? Do other kids have more time to get used to the whole idea and all those feelings?

Sure, I thought about it a lot, but I hadn't done much more than grope at Knockout. Just thinking about that still makes me mad. All those times she called me "pup" and I thought it was cute, she was just laughing at me. Sometimes I'm an idiot.

Well, I wasn't gonna mess this up, whatever "this" was. I started it, but I sure didn't know what would happen next.

*********************

Way out in Gotham Bay, beyond Blackgate, there's an island that I'd been to a couple of times before. Awhile back, some rich developer thought it'd be a good idea to build a resort just outside Gotham, for those folks who couldn't afford the Bahamas. He landscaped the place with sandy beaches, but the money ran out before he built more than the shell of the resort. The island was abandoned.

These days, smugglers use it as a loading point before taking their cargo into or out of the city. Batman and I visit every couple of months to clear the place out. The last time had been only three weeks ago, so I figured it would still be deserted. Batman casts a long shadow of fear onto Gotham's criminal element.

"Hey, this is great!" His voice startled me, and I realized we'd been quiet on the way out past Blackgate. I was nervous as heck and maybe *he* wasn't as cocky as he seemed.

"W-what is?" I craned my neck up to see his face.

"The beach. It's not Hawaii, but it'll do." He grinned. "Hey, you like swimming?"

"Sure, but..."

"But you can't get all your Bat-stuff, wet, right, I get it." I had just enough time to think, "Uh-oh."

And then my clothes just...exploded off of me, and I fell.

*********************

Gotta give the guy points for style. I used my ever-handy tactile telekinesis to get his costume off fast--it's really *useful* sometimes!--and send him for a swim. Even surprised, he turned the drop into a pretty keen dive.

He came up and reached immediately for his face. Yeah, his mask was still on. I didn't need the secret identity gig but he obviously did, and it sure wouldn't have made him trust me if I'd peeked without his permission. Then he shouted up at me.

"This isn't Hawaii, Superboy! It's  _cold_!"

Oops.

Oh, well, a little cold wasn't gonna kill either of us. I dumped his stuff on the beach and peeled off my own costume.

"Watch this, Boy Wonder--I'll show you a *real* dive!" I flew up high, then straight down. At the last second I couldn't resist, and turned the dive into a cannonball.

I came up and started laughing, I couldn't help it, he looked like he wanted to yell at me and laugh at the same time. Finally he laughed too, and splashed me back.

"Oh, so that's how you wanna play?" I tackled him like we were gonna wrestle, and maybe that was part of it, but mostly I just wanted to touch him and find out if he felt as good as he looked.

*********************

Even in the cold of the water, his hands were warm.

We were rolling around, supposedly play-fighting like guys always do, except it was totally an excuse to touch each other. It was really strange but exciting, too.

Suddenly he stopped and looked me in the face. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Uh...sure."

"Can I kiss you again?"

Oh, right, *now* he had to ask! I didn't want to  _think_  about this anymore. I was here, and I was tired of analyzing everything to death.

"Well, if you'd stop talking and just do it...."

The look on his face was worth the joke. "ME?! Talk too much? It's you who...ah, screw it." He grabbed me and pulled me in.

It was like before, that powerful kiss, but different because we were naked. I felt his body against me and that was weird but nice. Okay, better than nice. It was, uh, arousing as hell and I know he felt the same way, because he moaned and his tongue crept past his teeth to touch mine, and *that* sent a shockwave down my spine.

*********************

Oh...wow....

He tasted  _great_. He felt even better. He's really strong for a normal guy, lots of well-developed muscles. Mine came with the territory, but he must work out like crazy to stay in that kinda shape.

I could tell he hadn't done much before, but he got into it pretty quick. We were touching each other all over--well, almost--and I was so turned on I couldn't stand it. I reached down and touched him, and he gasped.

The thought came to mind and I giggled before I could help it.

"What so funny?!"

Whoops. *Not* a good idea to make him think I was laughing at him. Especially not now!

"Oh, just thinking...I guess they don't call you the 'Boy Wonder,' for nothing, huh?" I cracked up, I couldn't help it.

I thought he was gonna explode, he looked so mad, and then I felt  _his_  hand on me. "Not so bad yourself, 'Superboy.'"

We musta looked ridiculous, holding on to each other and howling like idiots.

"At least...we're not guilty...of false advertising!" he gasped out, and I laughed so hard I got a mouthful of water and went under.

He grabbed me and pulled me up, still laughing himself. "Beach...before we drown!"

*********************

He caught my hand and got us to the beach with a short burst of flight. We collapsed onto the sand, still giggling. After a minute he rolled over and said, "Hey, man, I won't tell anyone if you won't."

I must have looked shocked at the idea that I'd ever tell anyone  _anything_  about this.

"No, not that! I mean that you have a sense of humor!" He chuckled. "It'd ruin the whole spooky Bat-guy image."

"Oh. Yeah."

Suddenly, the identity facade seemed so  _silly_ \--I wanted him to know me.

I reached up for the mask. "My name is T--"

A warm hand covered my lips, stopped me from peeling off the mask. He looked at me solemnly, more than I expected from the flighty, brash Superboy the world knew.

"S'okay man. You don't have to do it."

"But I want..."

"I got the feeling you have a good reason for keeping your secret. Something to do with Batman's identity, right?" I nodded, shaken. "I don't need to know. I'm flattered and all but, really, that's pressure I just  _don't_  need."

_That_  was understanding I hadn't thought possible from him. It told me that whatever happened, here or later, Robin and Superboy would always be able to trust each other.

"But, y'know,  _my_  name is Kon-El. You can use it, if you want."

"'Conal'?"

"Huh? Oh--I never thought of that! No, it's 'Kon-EL,' Superman gave me that name. It means, 'of the house of El,' like him." He grinned. "I like the other one, though. Almost makes us sound like two regular guys. Conal and Rob."

"Hey, Conal?"

"Yeah?"

"You're talking too much again." This time I reached for him.

*********************

Somehow he pinned me under him, but that was just fine, 'cause everything he did felt great. It was amazing, like he knew exactly where to touch me, and how. So I started wondering.

"You sure you haven't done this before?"

"No, but I, uh..." he blushed. Wow, that was really cute. "I read a lot."

"About  _this_?!" No way. Here I'd been so anxious about even kissing him, and...

"Not exactly. More like...about anatomy."

Oh. "Geez, Rob, if I knew I could actually  _use*_  the stuff, I woulda studied harder in biology class!"

He smiled. "I doubt Shi--uh, my teachers would approve. It's all about pressure-points and nerve endings, not exactly stuff you learn in public school...."

"Secret ninja-fu, I get it. So, uh, show me something you learned!"

"Well, there's this..." he leaned down and ran his tongue slightly below my ear.

My whole body woke up and said, "hello!" at that. "Ohhhh..."

"And then there's this area of the neck, very sensitive...." I felt his teeth, very lightly, and couldn't wait anymore. I flipped him over and kissed him hard, tongue and everything. He really liked that, I could tell.

When I stopped he was breathing hard, and so was I. "Rob?"

*********************

I guess he wanted to make sure I was okay with this. But man, what a time to ask!

My voice was hoarse. "God, don't stop now."

"No way." He came down full-length against me, and groaned. "Oh, that feels good..."

"Uh-huh." I shifted a little under his weight, finding just the right position.

He lifted his head and smiled. "Oh, now I remember something." Before I knew what he doing, his mouth came down on my chest and licked my nipple. It was so intense I cried out and bucked against him, which set off tremors in a whole different area. He pushed back, thrusting against my thigh and his mouth at my throat, sucking hard, until I pulled his head up to kiss him again, my tongue playing on his. I reached down to touch him at the same time that he got ahold of me and then we were both  _there_ , perfect friction and together oh right there  _now_....

...

...

Wow.

Superboy--Kon-El--was still lying on me, wearing the same dazed look I probably had. "Mmmm...."

*********************

Rob stirred a little and I rolled to the side, but I wasn't moving any farther. No way, no how.

Man-o-man, I don't get good ideas that often, but  _this_  one had been tremendous. Who woulda guessed?

I heard Rob stand up and go down to the water, probably to wash up. Good idea. I didn't move.

"Sup--Kon-El? You okay?"

"Ohhh, yeah." I sat up. He had his costume in hand but hadn't put it back on yet; I guess he didn't want me to think he was too eager to leave. "Guess you have to get back, huh?"

"I'm sorry, I've got--"

I waved a hand at him. "Nah, don't worry about it, so do I. Just one thing?"

He came over and squatted down. "What's that?"

"Thanks."

"Oh. Uh, you, too." Then he shook his head. "Really. I mean it. I, uh, didn't expect this, but it was incredible."

"Yeah." I went and washed up quick, wondering what would happen next. I mean, I sure didn't come to Gotham expecting anything, and I didn't know what to do. All that implanted knowledge the Cadmus scientists stuffed into my brain, and I didn't have a clue.

Our costumes were back on, so we were Superboy and Robin again. I never felt like that before, like I had been someone else for a little while. I guess Robin feels like that, a lot. Weird.

"Ready to go?"

He nodded, and I picked him up and took off. It seemed like a longer trip back, and neither of us said a word.

Then we were over Gotham. "Down there's fine, anywhere downtown."

I landed and he stood, stretching.

"Uh, guess I should go...."

I thought it was gonna get all awkward, but Rob saved the whole thing. He smiled at me, and said, "Friends?"

"Always!" That was it--no strings, no promises, just friends. "World's Finest, the Next Generation!"

He laughed, and everything was cool.

"Well...'night, Rob."

"Good night...Conal."

I thought about him all the way home.

 

 

 


	2. "But What Does It Mean?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robin talks to Dick Grayson about his encounter with Superboy. A sequel to "World's Finest: Getting to Know You" (http://www.offpanel.net/kerithwyn/Finest). Also an unofficial sequel to Dannell Lites' "A Sea Change" (http://www.offpanel.net/kerithwyn/SeaSky). Post-Clench, pre-Cataclysm, pre-Young Justice.
> 
> Originally posted 9/10/1999.

The man who answered the door was dark-haired, broad-shouldered, strongly muscled, and naked to the waist.

He wasn't Dick.

He looked down on me with purple (!) eyes and said with an accent I almost recognized, "Yes? Can I help you?"

"I'm Tim Drake, I was looking for Dick Grayson...?"

"Yes, of course." He turned and called over his shoulder. "Richard, there is a young man named Tim Drake to see you!"

Inside the apartment, I saw Dick come out of the bathroom, wearing only a pair of sweatpants and toweling his hair dry. "Hey, Tim, come in! What brings you to Blüdhaven?"

I stepped into the front room. "I wanted to talk to you, but if this is, uh, a bad time...." I didn't want to start talking about private stuff in front of this guy...whoever he was.

Dick saw my hesitation. "Oh, sorry. Tim, this is Garth, an old friend of mine." He smiled. "You'd probably recognize him as Tempest."

"Sure, the Titan!"  _Now_  I recognized the accent--Atlantean, like Aquaman's. "You used to be Aqualad, right?"

Dick snorted. Garth shook his head and said, "There, do you see? I will always be ‘Aqualad,' just as part of you will always remain...oh." He stopped abruptly.

"S'okay, Garth, Tim knows it all."

"Ah. Forgive me, this business of secret identities is still strange, even after all these years. But as I have said before, ‘Robin' is still a part of you, my friend."

Dick trusted this guy. That was enough for me. "I like that new costume, Garth. Real, uh, striking."

"Thank you." He paused, then said, "I can see you have things to discuss with Richard. Are you hungry?"

"Uh...."

Dick laughed. "Better say ‘yes,' kid. Garth makes the best vegetarian stir-fry I've ever had."

"Sure, okay."

"All right, then: you talk, I cook." He smiled warmly at Dick and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Grab a seat, Tim." Dick snagged a sweatshirt from the edge of a chair and sat down. "What's up?"

Oh, boy. Talk about strange timing; here I'd come to talk to Dick about...what I'd come to talk about, and he was...he was.... I had to ask.

"Uh, Dick, tell me to take a flying leap if I'm out of line here, but you and Garth are...?"

He smiled like a cheshire cat. "Friends."

I blushed. "Uh, right. Never mind."

"Sorry. I'm still getting used to this, myself." His wry expression spoke volumes.

"Does...does Bruce know?"

He snorted again. "What  _doesn't_  he know? But I haven't told him, if that's what you're asking, and he hasn't said anything to me."

"I thought...."

"What?"

"Well, you and Kory...."

"A different part of my life. I still...love her. Always will. But it's not the same as it was." He was quiet for a minute, and then he said, "But you came down here to talk to  _me_  about something, right?"

"It's kinda related...."

"Girl troubles? Steph giving you grief again?"

"Uh, no." God, I'd barely thought about her recently. "I, uh, something happened I wanted to talk to you about...."

He sat back. "You can tell me anything, Tim. You know that."

"Yeah, but this is hard." I took a deep breath. "You know Superboy, right? He helped me with Metallo and Poison Ivy, a couple of weeks ago."

"Heard about that. Also heard that he stopped them  _himself_ , down in the islands, but I guessed there had to be more, since Metallo first showed up in Gotham."

"Right. He trashed Metallo, then Ivy whammied Superboy and took off for Kauai, so I had to follow. Metallo pulled himself together and came after us. We got real lucky." I shook my head. " _Real_  lucky."

"And?"

"Well...Superboy showed up a couple of days later. He said he came to thank me for my help, and then he...." I gulped. "He, uh...kissed me."

You could have made a cast from Dick's face; he didn't so much as blink. "What did you do?"

"I was really stunned, I mean, I never thought of doing anything with another guy...." I looked for a reaction from Dick, but he just motioned for me to go on. The rest came out in one long breath.

"But it was kinda nice, so I let him do it again, and then we flew over to that old resort island and, uh, fooled around. Touching and stuff. You know." My face was burning so hard I was sure I was gonna burst into flame.

Thank God he didn't laugh, or show even a trace of a smirk. I would've died right there. "So you're wondering what it all means."

"Yeah." Sometimes it's great that Dick acquired Batman's detective instincts. They saved me from having to explain everything.

"I think it means...whatever you want it to mean." He held up a hand to stop me, because I must've looked annoyed. "No, wait, let me finish. I can't tell you what it means to  _you_ , but maybe I can help you figure it out, okay?"

"...yeah, all right." Should've known it wouldn't be that simple.

"I'm guessing you didn't hate it, or you wouldn't be here. So now your whole world-view just got dumped on its ass, and you're wondering if you're gay."

There was that insight again. Great, but uncomfortable to think he could read me so easily. Was I  _ever_ gonna learn how to do that? "You...pretty much got it in one."

"One encounter doesn't make a lifestyle, Tim. Not even two or three. It's a lot more about what you're _feeling_ , than what your body does."  _Now_  he grinned. "I remember what it was like at your age. A stiff breeze, and...."

I covered my face, embarrassed. "Geez...."

"It also doesn't help that you're a teenager in the business we're in."

"Huh?"

"Well...we all handle the stress differently. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment. You're throwing yourself into danger, trusting to someone else to watch your back, and that creates an instant bond. Things get exciting, you take down the threat together, and suddenly there's all this  _energy_  left over and nothing left to do with it."

I thought that over, then realized something. "Is that what happened with you and--"

He interrupted, glowering. "We're not talking about me, here. Give that one a rest, Tim."

Bingo. Interesting. "But what happened with Superboy, that was a couple of days later...."

"So? Those emotions don't go away. I could tell you stories--" he paused. "But I won't. Let's just say, it's sometimes easy for things to get out of hand."

"Then...that's all it was?" Maybe....

"I can't answer that. I mean, you're both young and hormonal--I'd be more surprised if something like this  _hadn't_  happened, sooner or later. Even regular kids go through this stuff, Tim. You'll survive."

"Terrific."

"Don't agonize over it, that's all. Whatever it means to you, learn from it and go on. You're a level-headed guy, you'll be all right."

I had things to think about, if nothing else. "Okay. Thanks."

"Sure. Anything else?"

"No, not right now." I looked at him curiously. "Can I ask you a question, though?"

He nodded. "You're wondering about Garth."

I stared at him. "How do you  _do_  that?!"

"Practice." He winked, then looked toward the kitchen. "Garth...has been alone for a very long time. We need this, both of us." Dick went on, more to himself than to me. "It's about companionship, and comfort, and friendship."

"Is...that all there is? I mean, all I should expect?"

He looked at me sharply. "No! And I don't think you believe that, either. Super-hero or not, it  _is_ possible to find someone you really love. But--" he smiled a little, "I probably shouldn't say this to you, but you don't always have to wait it out alone."

Then I said just the wrong thing. "Bruce doesn't--"

" _ **Bruce**_  isn't--" he said harshly, and then stopped. He took a deep breath and went on, more quietly. "Bruce has shut himself off from a lot of things he probably shouldn't." He sighed. "Listen, Tim, I'm not trying to tell you what's right or wrong for you, I'm telling you what I've seen and what works for me. You have to make your own decisions. Just...be careful, all right? I mean, Roy ended up with a daughter by an international assassin, for cripes' sake. Lian's a doll, but...."

Before I could answer, Garth's voice rang out. "Robbie, Tim, lunch is ready whenever you are!"

I looked at Dick, questioning. "‘Robbie'?!"

Dick shook his head. "Ah, old Titans stuff. We'll be there in a minute, Gillhead!" he shouted back.

I laughed. I couldn't help it.

"Yeah, yeah. Just you wait ‘til you're leading a team, and see what kind of grief you get."

" _That'll_  be the day." No way. Just being Robin kept me busy enough.

Dick smiled like he knew something I didn't. "Oh, you will. Just wait and see. But now, I'm hungry. You coming?"

We went into the kitchen, and Garth was wearing two things I hadn't seen when he opened the door: one of Dick's "Haley's Circus" T-shirts, and two parallel scars that curved down over his left eye. He saw me glance at that and said, "The spell has worn off, I have not had the chance to refresh it."

"Spell?"

He nodded, pulling down plates from the cupboard. "A small illusion. I am not much of a mage, but enough to disguise the scars for my friends' comfort, or for company."

A real magician! Too cool. "Oh, it doesn't bother me! I mean, you don't have to...."

He smiled. "Then I will not. I was simply practicing, in any case."

While we ate, I kept sneaking glances at Dick. He and Garth took turns telling old Titans stories, stuff from when they first got together as a team. Neat stuff, but I was more interested in how  _relaxed_  Dick seemed. Every time he and Bruce work together, you can cut the tension with a knife. I mean, they obviously love and respect each other, but it's like this constant battle.

His friendship--or  _whatever_ \--with Garth was on this whole other level, really comfortable. Seeing Dick so at ease was...pretty cool, actually.

About halfway through the meal, Garth excused himself and I heard the shower start up. Before I could even start wondering, Dick said, "He's an Atlantean, after all. He needs to stay hydrated to breathe on land. Gonna be hell on my water bills."

"Oh." Then, so I didn't sound like a total idiot, "You, uh, seem really happy."

"Yeah." He paused, fork halfway to mouth, and said, "Y'know, in all the stuff I said before, I didn't once mention you could always think about  _waiting_...."

I stared at him, too weirded out to blush. "God, Dick, not  _that_  sex talk, not from you!"

He snickered. "Okay, you're right. Sorry."

Garth came back in, and we all talked a bit more about those old Titans stories before I had to leave.

Dick walked me to the door. "Tim," he told me, "just use your head." He tapped his forehead. " _This_ one." I felt my face go red again, and he laughed. "But don't forget to listen to your heart, either."

Right. A  _lot_  to think about.

But the next time I saw Kon-El, that all flew out the window.


	3. Game, Set, Rematch!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Superboy meet up again. Third in the "World's Finest" series, following "Getting to Know You" and "But What Does It *Mean?*" which can be found at http://www.offpanel.net/kerithwyn/. (Set just after the "World Without Grownups" prestige series.)
> 
> Originally posted 4/12/01.

Go figure it took all the adults in the whole world disappearing for us to meet up again.

This Bedlam dude made 'em all vanish 'cause he was really just a kid possessed by some kinda evil genie--something like that, I didn't get all the details. Who cares, right? Upshot is, me and Rob and the Imp (Impulse, you know, the fast kid with the big hair) had to take him on and take him down. Which we did, not too shabby, right as the JLA showed up to watch us finish it up. Just like that the crisis was over and everyone was home safe. But it was pretty scary for awhile there, I gotta admit.

The whole time we were fighting, Robin was professional, detached, like he'd never touched me. His whole "Batman Jr." 'tude.

But man, I wanted to touch him again. I just couldn't get him out of my head, the way he felt, and how he made me feel.

I shouldn't have been thinking about him at all, right then. We were standing there with the whole JLA, soaking up the congrats, and it was *great.* We saved the day, just us--well, Impulse helped--and were finally getting the recognition we deserved. What a rush! A room full of the world's greatest heroes, and they were thanking *me.* Us.

Still, in between high-fiving GL and trying not to stare at Wonder Woman's, uh, eagle, I kept looking at him across the room. Batman'd left Rob there to hang out, which surprised everybody; nobody thought he'd ever give Robin a day off. Guess even he thought saving the world was enough for one day.

Me, I wanted to celebrate. And I knew exactly how.

#########

"We did good, man." He caught my eye, and--

I could feel it sweeping up, just like Dick said; that excitement, the energy of defeating a powerful enemy with the help of teammates you trusted, and who trusted you. But knowing the reason behind something was a lot different from knowing how to handle it.

"Rob, you need a lift back to Gotham?"

Everyone else heard one hero offering to do a favor for another. I heard Superboy...asking me for a "date."

I didn't have to go. I could've easily gotten back to Gotham half a dozen ways. But I wanted to.

As we took off I saw a glint in the Martian Manhunter's eye, but that could have meant anything. Besides, if he knew he'd never say a word. Batman trusts J'onn J'onzz more than anyone--more than Superman even, I think. And that's going some. I might never be able to look J'onn in the eye again without blushing, though.

Superboy turned up the speed as soon as we were out of sight, arrowing right toward that island past Blackgate where we'd gone before. And for some reason...I didn't protest. I mean, he was taking things for granted, and I still sure didn't know how I felt about what'd happened before, and right then at that second it didn't matter.

#########

It took *way* too long to get out there, that's all I know.

I half expected him to say something like "just drop me off there" as we went over Gotham, but he didn't. I couldn't help grinning when I flew over the water; yeah, I see under that mask, Robbie. All that "have to think about this" and "need to consider that" and he wanted to be out there just as much as I did. Got your number, man.

Okay, so I was still a little pumped up from the fight. But hey! We beat the bad guy while the whole Justice-freaking-League was just trying to get home. Put *that* in your pipe and smoke it!

That just doesn't *happen* every day, know what I mean? And it wasn't every day I got up here to the Bat-boy's territory--not much reason for him to visit Hawaii--so that was even more reason to seize the moment when I saw it.

And, jeez, I'd only been thinking about him like *constantly* since the last time.

We finally got to the island and I just couldn't wait. I landed us on the beach and grabbed him.

#########

The wind in my face helped clear my head, a little. I'd worked up this whole speech on the flight over: We ought to talk this out, I'm not sure how I feel about it, I don't know how *you* feel, and--

Everything I'd thought about saying dissolved with the intensity of that kiss.

Somewhere in the corner of my brain a stopwatch clicked off the time. Two seconds, and his lips were warm against mine. Six seconds and I felt his tongue whisper past my teeth. Eight seconds and my own met his. At eleven seconds his arms were around me, holding tight; thirteen seconds, and he moaned against my mouth.

That *sound* shot right through me and drained all the blood right out of my brain. Time, what time? And what was I doing here, again?

I didn't care.

I barely noticed when our clothes fell off, propelled by his telekinesis. I didn't stop to think when his mouth slipped down to my throat and found the same nerve endings I'd shown him, last time. I couldn't breathe except in gasps when his hands drifted over my body, touching everywhere.

We ended up on the sand and he lifted his head to grin at me. "Feels good, huh."

"Uh huh." God, did it ever.

"Yeah." He slid up against me and I felt, um, he was as turned on as I was. I heard Dick's voice in my head again: ~Listen to your heart.~ Mine was beating about a hundred times faster than normal and it felt like none of the blood it was pumping was headed anywhere near my brain.

#########

Oh, yeah. It was just like I'd been imagining.

Definitely something cool about seeing Bat-boy breathe hard. Even better knowing that I was doing it. He comes off so calm and collected, totally in control. Which is good, right? Me, I just sort of do what I think sounds good. Most of the time, it works.

Like, right then I wanted to kiss him again so I leaned in and did. Just like last time, naked kissing was even *better.* He was kissing back and rubbing against me as much as I was rubbing against him and in a second I was gonna--

I didn't want this to be over that fast! Wasn't easy, but I peeled myself off of him and sat back, just looking. He blushed and reached out his hand, saying "C'mon, Conal," and that reminded me of the way he'd pretty much ordered me and the Imp around during the whole Bedlam thing. Maybe I could even the score. So I said,

"You know, I was thinking, you took charge pretty quick back there."

"So?"

"So now it's my turn." I used a little bit of TK power to hold him to the ground so he couldn't move. This *look* went across his face when he realized, I didn't know exactly what it was, but he wasn't upset. I could tell *that.*

#########

This...was....

Too good to be wrong. Shut *up,* Tim, stop thinking and just...oh, God....

Suddenly I couldn't move and once I realized *why* it was even better, somehow. Something about being in his power...at his mercy...when I *knew* he wouldn't hurt me--

I could feel my face going about as red as my tunic. So *that's* what that's about, the part of my brain that wouldn't shut up whispered; being tied up and helpless, I *get* it now...and why isn't he doing anything?

I opened my eyes to see Kon floating over me, just looking. Laid out like...{say it, you know exactly what this is}--like a buffet, like he didn't know where to {taste lick} touch first, and I don't think I've ever been more excited in my life.

He dropped down, straddling my hips, and put his hands on my chest. He let them wander, not quite tickling, and I closed my eyes again to just *feel.* Hands and then his mouth, I felt his lips brush past my nipple and gasped.

He laughed. "I remember. You liked that." Then his mouth was back, firmer, tongue wet warm teasing back and forth, one to the other, I was arcing up toward him against his TK grip, wanting more, wanting...

The feel of his mouth on my stomach was enough to shock me into coherence. Almost. "W-what are you doing?!"

"What do you think?"

"Uh--"

"I've been thinking about this. A *lot.*"

He was...he was...oh my *God*--

#########

I just wanted to see if he tasted as good as he looked, you know?

'cept I'd barely started to find out (that's a "yes," by the way) when his back arched up so hard I thought he was gonna hurt himself, so I let up on the TK and he reached up and grabbed me and flipped me over. How does he *do* that so easy? *I'm* the one with super-strength. More ninja-fu, I guess.

He was on top of me and looking down, and I was really wishing I could see his eyes. I mean, I knew from his expression mostly what he was feeling, but I wasn't sure. "You okay?"

"Uh--" he cleared his throat. "Uh-huh. That was...really intense."

"Too much?"

"I'm...not sure."

Ding ding ding. Danger, Will Robinson. (Okay, so I've never WATCHED "Lost in Space." Gimme a break, I've only been out of the tank a couple of years.) Rob was looking like he wanted to say something, and I didn't want to hear it. I *really* didn't want to hear it right then. So I kissed him to keep his mouth busy, and started running my hands over whatever I could reach.

He managed, "Con-mmmph!" before he gave up and started groping me back. That was more like it.

Oh-- oh, *yeah*--

We ended up rolling over and over across the beach, rubbing against each other all over and it was just, just....

Total meltdown, know what I mean?

#########

...wow. Again.

I got my breath back and lay there, thinking, while Kon panted next to me.

It was over and it'd been good, great even, but I still...felt weird.

Maybe it was because we'd done all this, and I still barely knew him. I'd learned about his background in the Cadmus project, and his powers and his work in Hawaii. But I didn't know much about *him* beyond what I'd seen on our cases together.

One way to solve that, right?

We, um, straightened ourselves up, but this time I wasn't in any particular hurry to get back, and Kon was sitting on the edge of the beach chucking pebbles into the water, watching them skip. I sat down and thought about what I wanted to ask. Naturally, he wasn't about to wait for me to figure it out.

"That was pretty cool, huh."

I *know* I blushed. "Uh--"

He glanced at me and laughed. "I meant the stuff with Bedlam an' all. Beating the JLA to the punch."

"Oh! Yeah. Um." Cripes, Tim, get a grip. "I think they were all impressed."

"Yeah. That was *sweet.* D'you think we could be that, someday?"

"You mean, in the JLA?"

Kon nodded, staring up into the sky. The moon was just visible to the east. "Up there, you know, that'd be awesome."

"I...guess."

He looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "You don't want to?"

And see, that's the question I'd been asking myself since I started as Robin, and didn't have an answer for yet. "I'm just not sure I want to do this forever, that's all."

"Why *not?!* I love this, don't you? Man, I wouldn't give up my powers for *anything!*"

I laughed. "Well, I haven't got powers. But sometimes I think about having, you know, a normal life."

He shook his head at me. "Where's the fun in that? But, okay, if you want that, why put on the costume at all?"

"Because it needs to be done." Boy, that came out a lot more pompous than I meant. But he said,

"Sure, I get that. Super-villains gotta have superheroes to fight, right? But why do *you* do it?"

It was a fair question. When it started it was because I was worried about my childhood idol, about Batman, and I wanted to make sure he was all right. He *needed* Robin. And when I realized I could take that role....

"For Batman's sake, originally. That's a...long story. But it's exciting, yeah...." he grinned and I had to smile back. "I've learned so much. And there's this quotation, by Burke... 'The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.' It's like, I *can* do this now, even if I don't do it forever, and that makes a difference...."

"Huh." He was quiet for a moment. "I like that."

#########

Made me feel kinda like a flake, 'cause mostly, I didn't *think* about stuff like that. Just did things 'cause I could, you know? Wasn't like I had a lot of *reasons.*

"So, can I ask you about something?"

"Uh--sure." Bet he thought I was gonna ask about his name, or something like that. Nah, I'd already decided on that. Batman has this way of *looking* at you that made you wanna spill your guts, everything you know, and last thing I wanted was for him to think I knew who *he* was. I mean, if I knew Rob's real name. Which I wasn't gonna ask.

Anyway.

"So in the 'cave, there was that costume...you yelled at the Imp when he got too close. What was that about?" Rob had taken us to the Batcave so we could use the computers to see if we could figure out what was going on, and there'd been this costume there in a glass case--the old Robin costume, little green shorts and yellow cape. Bet Rob'd look pretty cute in it, though I guess the pants make more sense.

"Oh. That." He looked so serious, I thought he was gonna tell me not to ask--some Bat-guy secret or something--but after a minute he said, "It belonged to another Robin. Before me."

Oh, hey, I knew this. "Nightwing, right? I heard about--"

"No, not Nightwing." His face was pretty grim. This couldn't be good. "There was--another Robin. He...he died."

Ouch. "Oh. I'm, uh--did you know him?"

"No. That was before I...anyway, that's his costume. I shouldn't have yelled at Impulse but it's sort of...hard to think about, you know?" He ran a hand through his hair and he could've been Anykid, just some guy if it weren't for the mask on his face. "It's kind of a reminder to be careful, and not to take anything for granted."

"Pretty harsh, man." Having to look at that thing everyday, being reminded--sheesh.

"It's supposed to be."

I guess I could see why. Rob doesn't have powers, he's just a normal kid, and he's supposed to go and fight super-villains just like--like Superman does! I mean, Batman does that, but *everybody's* scared of the Bat anyway.

But Robin wasn't like that, so he has to be even more careful. And from what he said, maybe that other Robin wasn't....

Jeez. I was creeping myself out, thinking like that. There's a reason Batman picked Rob to do the job, right? I already knew he was smart. He could take care of himself.

Maybe I could help with that, I mean, when I was around....

#########

By the time we headed back I was feeling a little better about things. Still a little uneasy, though. Kon was--a good guy. Straightforward. Earnest, even. Really wanting to do the right thing, partially to impress his idol Superman--definitely a factor--but also just because he could. I wondered what that said about the Nature-vs.-Nurture issue, since he'd been grown in a tank, but stopped thinking about it when my head started to hurt.

Maybe I was still uneasy because...we'd talked about everything but what we'd been doing.

Next time, that had to change.


	4. Finer Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin figures things out. Fourth in the "World's Finest" series.
> 
> Originally posted 6/19/01.

We'd been exploring the old cave at Happy Harbor, the old JLA headquarters. Impulse speed-scouted the place and then spent an unprecedented three minutes standing still, staring at the picture of the original JLA and his grandfather, Barry Allen. Then he left, and Kon and I were alone.

No problem, right? Just two teenaged superheroes, talking about what a cool hangout--headquarters?--this place might make, if we cleaned it up a little. Except there was this weird tension. Like both of us were thinking about what might happen next.

I was looking at some of the JLA trophies when he came up behind me--silently, he must have flown--and kissed the back of my neck. Hello, hormones!

But I'd been thinking a lot about it, and this time, I couldn't just...let it happen. I had to know. I took a deep breath, and turned around.

"What are we doing?"

"If you can't figure it out...." he smirked at me.

"No, seriously. Are we...is this...."

He stared at me impatiently. "What?"

"Don't you think about it? I mean, I appreciate the spur-of-the-moment thing, but...."

Now he looked ticked. "Just because I don't talk about it doesn't make me stupid. I *think* about it all the time."

"I mean, more than the, the, uh. Sex." Finally saying it brought home how *alien* it sounded. I'd been having sex. With Superboy. Good grief!

"I *know* what you meant. Jeez, you really do think I'm a moron, don't you?"

"No! No, I don't. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to understand."

He let out an exasperated breath. "Why?"

"We have to--"

"We don't *have* to do anything!" he exploded. "Figure out the bad guys, you're good at that. But why do you have to--analyze everything? Look. I *like* you. I like being with you. Is that wrong?"

"No--" he must have sensed the "but" coming, because he cut me off.

"No, and you like it too, I know. So what's the problem?"

I stopped for a moment to clear my head. What *was* the problem, anyway?

The problem was...it didn't feel right. Dick warned me, after all. We'd gotten caught up in that excitement, and I'd realized that but ignored it. Sure, it felt good. Physically. After the battles we'd had, Ivy and Metallo and Bedlam, I felt so wired all he had to do was put a hand on my shoulder.

But.

But I kept remembering what Dick said. "It's a lot more about what you're *feeling,* than what your body does." Mostly I was feeling confused. And a little...wrong. Not wrong *bad,* exactly, but....

He was still waiting--surprisingly patiently--for an answer. I didn't have one yet. Okay, let's try this question: "But you, uh, like girls, right?"

He looked at me like I'd suddenly started speaking Kryptonese. "'Course. What's that got to do with anything?"

Nothing, I guess. As far as he was concerned. I was pretty sure--or getting there--that it made all the difference to me.

I just didn't *feel* that way about him. Despite everything. I didn't have that same sense of attraction I'd had to Ariana or Steph. Or on a totally different level, a fantasy-level, Ivy or Catwoman.

Maybe his perspective would help. "Tell me, please? What you think about."

He rolled his eyes, but told me. Just let it all fall out. "I think about...how you don't treat me like a joke or an experiment, like you actually respect me. You get bossy sometimes but I still always feel like I can say something and you'll take it seriously. An' I know you can't tell me who you are, not really, but I wanna know more about you than the fact you swing a mean batarang. And kiss really good." He stopped for a second, looking uncertain. "And you like me...right? Not just 'cause I'm Superboy and can do all that stuff. Just me, you know, Kon."

I stood there, hearing him say all those things, and I never felt worse in my life. Because he obviously *had* been thinking about what we'd been doing, and--

And that's when the real reason behind the "wrong" hit me, more important than just the "he's a guy" thing.

I didn't think about him when he wasn't there.

I didn't--*think* about him. Not like that. Like when I'd lie awake and worry about Steph and how she might get hurt playing Spoiler, or how I was gonna make things up to Ari for ditching her *again* when we were supposed to have a date.

When I thought about Kon it was pretty much, this other teenaged hero I worked with sometimes, and, uh, did we really do *that?* I didn't...dwell on it.

So if it really just was a spur-of-the-moment thing, wasn't that kind of sleazy on my part? Like I--used him. Yeah, maybe he "used" me too, but HE'D been thinking about it. After. And I--

\--couldn't let that happen again. Oh, boy.

"I...do like you. As a person, as Kon-El, not just as Superboy. I'm glad we're friends." I took a deep breath. "But I don't think we should do this anymore."

He held himself so still. "Why?"

"I don't...feel that way. Emotionally. Yeah, it feels great physically, I can't deny that--" this was coming out all wrong! "...but it's not--I'm not...."

"Whatever." He looked away. "You don't have to spell it out. Over, done, fine."

Shit. "Kon-- Conal, I'm--"

He turned back with a tight expression I couldn't quite read. "Don't call me that, okay?"

Wha-- oh. I'd called him "Conal" when I'd misheard his real name, and he'd liked it; made him feel normal, he said. The subtext was: "like a real boy." Pinocchio come to life in a tank rather than a wood-worker's shop.

"O-okay." I tried again cautiously. "Kon-El--"

He didn't react, so I went on. "I'm really sorry. It's not you, it's me." I winced at the cliché even as his face twitched in--anger? Disbelief? "It's true."

"Sure." Before I could say anything else he was in the air. "Catch you 'round, *Boy Wonder.*"

"Kon-!" I yelled after him, but he was gone.

####

Yeah. Just perfect.

Go figure, right? Spill my guts to the guy, and give him credit, he falls over himself tryin' to be all nice about it. Wham, bam, thanks Superboy and SEE-ya, it's been fun.

'Cause he doesn't "feel the same."

What the hell does he know about what I'm feeling, anyway? No one does.

Aw, what crap. I never did that "poor little me" thing and I ain't gonna do it now.

I just thought that he might, y'know, want to keep hanging around. With me.

I *knew* it was gonna happen, I could just tell. Bat-boy went and thought himself out of the whole thing. As if I'd been, like, asking him to marry me or something. It was just *fun,* why'd he have to go and spoil it?

Most of the people I hang with on Hawaii just don't get what I do, not really. Y'know, the whole "leaping into danger" thing. I dunno, maybe it takes another superhero to really understand that. Rob does, we talked about that before, and I just liked...being with someone who gets it....

Hell with him, anyway. Plenty of babes out there ready to admire The Kid. Guys too, if I felt like it. Who needs one shrimpy little snob from Gotham?

Not me, man.

No way.

I'm just *fine.*

 

{end}

***

 

Notes: Some of you have no doubt wondered why this series was on hold for more than a year. This segment--written quite a long while ago--was the reason.

I didn't want to do it.

But this is the way it happened, Tim tells me; and I know better than to argue with him.

Epilogue to follow.


	5. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rob and Kon come to terms. Final segment in the "World's Finest" series. (Set within the first few issues of Young Justice.)
> 
> Originally posted 6/19/01.

We...managed.

Somehow we became a team, Young Justice. We treated each other as teammates, nothing more, and Impulse never had a clue.

...No surprise there, really.

I don't think the girls realized anything either, though once in awhile I thought I saw Cissie eyeing us thoughtfully. She never said anything, though.

But every time I tried to talk to Kon alone, he ignored me. Or worse, he gave me a *look,* totally cold, and then turned on his persona.

It wasn't good for the team. It wasn't good for US.

I waited until Impulse was absorbed in the Playstation and the girls were busy doing something without us in another part of the cave. Female-bonding, I guess.

"Can we talk? Please?"

####

I thought about flying away. I wanted to. But there was this team, and I wanted this team so bad I could taste it, and-- "Sure."

"I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry." He looked just flat-out miserable. "I shouldn't have-- I didn't want to hurt you. It shouldn't have taken me that long to figure things out."

I shoulda just let it go. But I wanted to know. "'Things'? Like what?"

"Well, like...." Robin sighed. "When you kissed me, that first time, it was really good and I thought that maybe I was gay, or, or, you know, bi."

"Yeah, and?" Sheesh. As if I needed a *label* to tell me what I was. Got enough of that being clone-boy.

"And, I'm not. I don't-- I just don't feel that way. To you, or any guy." I swear, he actually sounded like he was *apologizing* for that.

"But...." Shit, I didn't want to argue. But I wanted to understand! "But you liked it, I know you did, so how come it's not any good?!"

He looked about as helpless as I felt. "I just...it's not enough, Kon."

"It was enough for me," I didn't say.

Guess I'm glad that I didn't say it. He felt bad enough. I felt--probably worse, but hell, that wasn't his fault. Guy can't help the way he's made, right?

Ha. That's almost funny.

And...to be TOTALLY honest...I didn't want to know if it was just the me-being-a-guy-thing he wasn't into...or *me.* The Kid's not supposed to have those kind of thoughts, you know?

So, but...ah, hell. I couldn't stand that look on his face. "Then...I guess that's it, then."

He looked relieved for a sec, then totally covered it. Bat-face. Wish I had one of those. "So we're okay?"

"Yeah." Yeah, I could be cool. Not like we'd *really* been anything, anyway. "Yeah, no prob. World's Finest, right?"

"Right."

Right. I looked around for the others. Y'know, that Arrowette's pretty cute--

 

 

 

 

{end fic, end series}

 

 

 

Grateful thanks to everyone who assured me I hadn't lost it completely with this take on the boys: KayJay, Dannell, Kael, GlockGal, Smitty, Becky, and *especially* Carmen, who kept kicking me to post when I really didn't want to. *smooch* You keep me honest, babe.


End file.
